Cerulean Flame
by FreyReh
Summary: Leonardo has been having strange dreams of a woman in black fighting an unknown assailant. At the end of each dream she reaches out to him but he cannot save her. When dreams start transforming into reality he realizes his destiny is much more important than he thought.
1. Chapter 1

Note: Ah bummer I'm starting another new fic, and this will all be new to me because I'm going to have Leo as one of the main characters. I have yet to do much with him in my other fics so this will be a new experience to me. This is where you, my lovely and awesome readers, come in and critique me. I can write Raph with my hands tied behind my back and even Mikey… Don so-so but Leo is uncharted waters! So, reviews will be more appreciated than usual! Anywho I've blabbered enough, onward with the story!

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Title: Cerulean Flame

Summary: Leonardo has been having strange dreams of a woman in black fighting an unknown assailant. At the end of each dream she reaches out to him but he cannot save her. He becomes more troubled as the dreams become more vivid and when dreams start transforming into reality he realizes his destiny is much more important than he thought.

Setting: Post: The King in the 2003 TMNT series!  
Genre: Romance/Action/Drama and perhaps a pinch of humor?  
Pairing: Leo/OC

Dis: I don't own TMNT!

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**PROLOGUE**

_Lightning flashes. Darkness overcomes. The sound of metal against metal has him turning in circles. Eager and anxious he follows the sound of battle. The volume increases as he runs in the right direction. Faster, another flash, and he sees two bodies. One female, dressed in black, deadly sai dripping with blood on the middle prongs as she lunges at another figure. He cannot see the male, just a large shadow. The female is almost a shadow herself but he sees her eyes flame and spark with each flash of lightning. Agile and lethal she makes her body and weapons sing with each strike and all he could think was that this was a fellow ninja, a kunoichi*. He is suddenly upset he cannot see her face, for it is obscured thanks to a silken material covering the bottom half. _

_Suddenly, instead of watching, he is there. She is struck down and he reaches for his weapons. They are gone and he tries to move but he cannot for he is frozen. She stands, and then reaches her hand out to him. Her eyes are pleading, blue orbs piercing as the silken wrap that hid her features slowly starts to fall from the strong whip of the wind. Full lips are in view and she calls his name. Unexpectedly the eyes widen and dim, a thin trail of blood falls from the corner of her lips and he looks down to see the saki*of her own sai, liquid crimson, protruding from where her heart would be. _

_"NO!" he shouts as the figure behind her wraps its inky arms around her and pulls. He, once again, cannot move as the lightning flashes. His world starts to turn. Swirl. Fragments swimming around him like vultures over a carcass in the desert. Pleading eyes, crimson blood, the flash of metal hitting metal, and he has no choice but to fall to his knees and cover his ears as sounds and whispers, fill his mind. One voice is clear._

_Her voice._

_"Leonardo… Help me…"_

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Leonardo awakens with a gasp. Sweat covers his entire body which feels stiff and tight. He brings his three-fingered green hand up to his face and sighs while trying to collect himself. Twisting his head on his damp pillow he observes the glowing numbers on his clock and sighs once more before rising. It was just barely past four in the morning but he knew sleep wouldn't come to him again. Grabbing his bandana he expertly ties the familiar material around his eyes before sliding out of bed. Grabbing his trusty ninjaken, or what one would commonly call katana, he straps them to his shell before exiting his quarters.

These dreams have been invading his sleep for what seems to be weeks now. Always the same. He would come upon a fight, and the female would die and be swallowed by the darkness she had been fighting. Tonight, however, had been different. Never had she spoke in the dream and now her voice was inserting itself in his head.

Haunting him.

_"Leonardo… Help Me…"_

"Shell," he mutters rubbing his eyes before entering the dojo. He works silently, lighting candles before settling down in a lotus position. Closing his eyes he tries to center himself but as the calm would settle a sudden spark would make him wince. The eyes, her eyes, call to him: and he didn't know what to do. "Why do you haunt me?"

"My son," says a raspy voice from the doorway that had Leonardo whipping his head around, and then quickly shifting to a kneeling position out of respect.

"Master Splinter, Father, what are you doing up?" he asks softly.

"You are troubled," he says evading the question, and a stab of guilt hits Leonardo. Was his worry so high that it disturbs his Master's sleep? "Bad dreams?"

"It is nothing," says Leonardo, not wanting to worry the elder. "I have been meditating on the matter."

"Ah," says Splinter, his walking cane making soft noises against the mats. Leonardo could hear the bones creaking in his Sensei's body but knew better than to assume him to be weak. His Master may be old, but he was far from frail. Leonardo felt comfort when the gnarled hand of his father rest upon his tense shoulder. "Dreams, both good and bad, can often be messages from the spirits. A warning or message. What do you dream of?"

"A girl," answers Leonardo, making Splinter's whiskers twitch with amusement. "I, it's not as it sounds! Sensei, she is battling someone evil and she… She calls out to me but I cannot save her."

"Have you seen this girl before?"

"No." Leonardo rises from his position and starts to pace. "I've been having these dreams, nightmares, for weeks. They are getting worse and more vivid. Before it was just sounds of battle and I would awaken, but now? I see her face. I see her die. Every time. And I cannot save her."

"Perhaps, then, the other side is asking that you do. When the time comes."

"How… How can I know when the time comes? What if I miss it?"

"My son, I have a strong feeling, that when it does…" Splinter's whiskers once again twitched. "You won't miss it. Now, I shall retire back to my room until our morning training."

"Hai, Sensei, thank you for the talk."

"My door is always open, Leonardo."

Leonardo bows and as soon as his Sensei was out of sight he slouches and plops down on the mat. Both hands to his head he frowns deeply. What if Master Splinter was right? What if it was an important message? Was he to save this girl? Instead of helping him, his Master made his mind clutter with even more questions and he wanted to pull a Raph and trash the first thing he came in contact with. Instead, he goes back into lotus position, and once again attempts to meditate.

_Blue eyes… Flashing skies… "Leonardo… Help me…"_

"Where are you?" he asks softly, then tenses, for he was certain he got a whisper of an answer…

_"Soon…"_

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**TBC**…

Well, what do you think of the prologue? Let me know! Suggestions welcomed! :)

Kunoichi: a female ninja  
saki: pointed end of the middle prong of a sai


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Thanks for the reviews…. Correct me on my grammar because I'm writing differently than I normally do so if u see a mistake, PM me… hah… I hate grammar…. I'm NOT an English major, ok?!

***flails self to floor and throws a ten-minute tantrum***

How you say my OC's name: Ah-ku-Me ;p

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"You have trained long and hard for this moment, Akumi, you are ready to take upon the journey and honor of avenging our people."

Akumi Tigahari stands before all in her village, dressed in the honorary cloth of her people. Silken materials made from the finest muletar's in their land caress her skin, making it feel like the steady flow of water from the Yakitan River instead of clothing. Her bright, sky blue eyes stare up at one of the few elders that were male, his white hair a stark contrast to his black, ceremonial robes. His frail hands rest upon her shoulders and she straightens, ignoring locks of her hair that fall from their binding into her eyes. Her mentor, her teacher, and who she considered to be her father smiles as her while carefully pulling her hair back behind her elven-shaped ears. He turns to one of his younglings, someone just entering their phases of training, and they come forward, bowing while producing a plum colored pillow and on them are the weapons Akumi have been training with since the ripe age of three. These, however, bore the crest of her people, and are made of the finest metals found in the south of her world.

There are many names for these weapons, she remembers, but her people call them dogi. Metal shaped into three separate prongs; the paired weapons are deadly in the right hands. Her mentor at first pressed her to use the taki, or swords as some call them, but upon seeing her fast and sharp movements and her boredom of the taki, he had switched to the dogi and ever since then she has grown into the warrior she hoped her birth father and current mentor would be proud of.

Akumi watches as her master, Kenji, deftly lift the weapons from their pillow, turn to her, then get down on one knee. She inhales sharply, for never had he gone down on one knee before her in her entire life. Others around them follow suit and swallowing the sudden panic in her throat her slightly shaking hands take the weapons. They were the right weight and she would enjoy breaking them in later, but for now she turns to her people and crosses the dogi above her head, the pointed ends gleaming in the setting sun. Her people erupt in a frenzy of cheers and she knows she is on the right path.

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Much later, Akumi awakens with a start in her bed. Sweat makes her hair stick to her forehead and the back of her neck and the thin layer of sheets are a tangled mess around her legs. She had the dream again, the same dream she's had for a few weeks now. Always the same she is battling the one, HIM, the enemy she is to eliminate for her people, and something goes wrong. She reaches out to someone, a green blur who screams out her name but it is too late. She rubs her chest, where her own dogi slices through in her dream. Hands shakily pull her legs free of the sheets and she gets out of bed. Going to her window she walks through the sheer curtains that led out onto her balcony. Sighing, her hands rest on a railing and her eyes move up to stare at the three moons.

There is a story about them, how three goddesses waged war on each other, each wanting this land for their own. So consumed in their hatred for another they forgot all else and angered by his daughter's scorn their father entrapped them each into a moon to forever glimpse at what they wanted so badly, but could not have because of their hate. The purple moon held Isolde, powerful and able to maneuver water with a single thought. The red moon was Andel, the more wrathful of the sisters it is said her armies took out numerous villages without mercy and that the sound of the howling wind that frightens children at night is actually her battle cry. The blue moon was Lenora, the more peaceful of the sisters she had tried to claim peace numerous times but in the end, she ended up swept away in the battle like the rest of them, a story that is now told to all children to keep their anger in check. Her, especially, when she was a younger sprout without a care in the world for the rules: and often getting in trouble by her mother or elder cousin.

"Akumi? Darling why are you awake?" asks a soft voice behind her and Akumi turns to see her mother standing in the doorway wearing her deep blue night dress and matching robe. Her snow white hair hung in loose curls around her angled face, her brown eyes almost looking black in the night.

"I had that dream," said Akumi, frowning before looking up at the red moon. "It was so real."

"I am sorry, daughter," said her mother, Kimi. "Do you wish to talk about it?"

"No. I am fine." Akumi looks at her mother, a frown marring her face. "Can you tell me again? How it was like before the war?"

Kimi nods before motioning her daughter back into her room. Akumi follows, glancing behind her at the blue moon once more before entering her room. She sits beside her mother, curling her legs beneath her. Kimi tucks a strand of almost black hair behind her daughter's ear before putting her hands in her lap.

"Long ago, before you were born, a being came to our planet."

"Ch'rell," whispers Akumi.

"Yes," said Kimi. "Ch'rell... Before, we were a peaceful place. Then he came and all war broke out. Many died and when he left we found that all who were left were the women and children. He had taken our men, your father included, into slavery. Where he went is unknown but what he left behind is the key to finding him."

"And I am to use it tomorrow," said Akumi, straightening in her seat. "I will bring vengeance upon our people."

"Oh, Akumi, I lost your father and now I am losing you as well."

"Mother, we spoke of this. I am ranked highest of all the elite…"

"Who are made of women who should be focusing on finding a boy and-"

"Mother, I am only seventeen cycles, and all the boys around here are not for me. They speak out of turn and are rude and have no respect for a female warrior. This is what I am to do, and tomorrow I will go through the portal."

"And if you never come back?" asks Kimi, eyes large and wide.

Akumi looks deeply into her mother's eyes.

"Know that I love you."

"Akumi," whispers Kimi before she pulls her daughter to her chest and holds her. "I love you, so, little bird."

"And I you, mother."

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"Are you ready?" asks Kimi, finishing up her daughter's hair, braiding the strands out of her face and back into a binding atop her head.

"Yes," answers Akumi, rising from her seat. She looks at the full length mirror in her room. She was dressed much differently than she had been yesterday. Black silk surrounded her body, light armor made by a blacksmith donning her body in the important areas. Braids secure, Akumi pulls the covering for her head up, the final wrap around her face masking all but her charcoal lined eyes. Her dogi are strapped to her thighs, her gloved hands flexing around the handles before she steps away from the mirror. "I am ready."

Kimi nods then steps aside as Akumi exits the tent she had been allowed to ready herself in. Drums beat steadily as she makes her way forward through a throng of people. They part, eyes anxious. She heard whispers, some wishing her luck and others saying she was being put up for the slaughter. She ignored those, instead focusing on her master that held a sword wrapped in cloth, a sword that was said to be most powerful. It was a gift from the Gods, and those that have wielded it before have perished, and that is what she feared most. What if she was not worthy? Would she end up a pile of ash like the others before her?

Slowly her master unravels the cloth, the gleaming sword flashing where unfamiliar symbols were etched. This is the sword the gods from the Third Earth had bestowed upon them, the head of the realm known by one name: Daimyo. His messenger, Gyoji, had said that only one with true honor and heart would be accepted into the battle to avenge the wrongs of her people, and Akumi was hoping she was it.

Meeting the eyes of her master she held his gaze and breathed in deeply before turning out to the crowd. Her eyes met her mothers and she gave her mother one last nod before reaching out and taking the sword. At first, nothing happened, and then she felt a spark that traveled up her fingers to her wrist. She held on, not letting go of the sword as others had, and grit her teeth as more and more sparks erupted. Some gasped and stepped back, others remained rooted on the spot as a large bolt of lightning exited the sword and wrapped itself around Akumi. The light got blindingly bright then suddenly it was gone…

Along with the sword and Akumi.

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Disorientated, Akumi stumbles slightly, hand reaching out and bracing on something solid to steady her swaying body. Blinking rapidly she takes in the feel of damp stone and green spots fade away to darkened sky and large buildings that put those in her village to shame. Lightning, similar to the kind on her home planet save for it was a bright blue instead of green, pierces the sky, making her jump along with the sounds below her.

Also, the heavens were emptying onto her, drenching her from head to toe. Peering over a ledge she swallows in slight fear from the height she is at, hand that is still on the sword clenching with worry as a monstrous boom makes her jump as lightning once again webbed in the sky.

"You are a fierce warrior," she says out loud, scolding herself. "Be strong. Do not act like a sprout exploring the world for the first time."

However, she was exploring THIS world for the first time. Sighing, she closes her eyes and opens them with a new resolve. The Gyoji said that the sword would bring her within striking distance of Ch'rell so he had to be near. So, ignoring the pouring rain, flashing lighting, and terrifying thunder she narrows her eyes and begins to explore. Some things, like the vents from air ducts and even a stray cat breaks her concentration but the all familiar sound of metal on metal she remembers from training has her body silently moving in one direction.

What she sees when leaping from one building to another startles her. There, off in the distance, she sees something familiar. Something, no, someONE from her dreams. HIM. A flash of green wielding two long taki slashing as others wearing black garments surround him. A part of her becomes mesmerized as she observes him taking down one opponent after another. His grace and training is clear, his strikes sure, but she also sees he is tired. When one wave is taken down another arrives and soon he is standing on the surface, rain pouring down his body, victorious. Then others arrive and Akumi lets out a sound of protest as they turn invisible, taking him down to his knees.

A part of her was conflicted. She was there for a reason and one reason only but seeing HIM in distress has her sheathing the sword at her back and taking out her dogi. Calculating her best route she sprints forward only to gasp in horror as he is tossed over the edge of a building.

"NO," she gasps, sliding to a halt and watching in horror as he falls. Then, miraculously, he grips onto a ledge and stops his decent, making her sigh with relief and then be nothing but impressed once again. He keeps surprising her, but the fall has made him even weaker and now she was more resolved to get to his side. Then, for some reason, he stills and blinds himself with his eye covering. Before she can wonder as to why he is slashing at thin air and sparks erupt before men fall to the ground. He had used his hearing to find the enemy! Impressive, so impressive she was perhaps a little jealous. His skill, it was fascinating and just… Her inner girl was impressed, and that was all she was to say on the matter!

He is on the run after the blind victory and she follows, blending with the shadows as she was taught and he stops once again to battle others when suddenly, a large and massive being steps forward. He is monstrous, at a towering height and Akumi knew, as the green creature was tossed back, that it was time to enter the battle. As the man comes forward with a large, metal pipe she jumps, lightning flashing her silhouette onto the buildings surrounding her, and kicks out at the man's face.

The man, not having expected the attack, stumbles back: dropping his weapon with a clang onto the rooftop just as the one Akumi was protecting got to his feet, a single taki in his grasp. Her eyes slide to his and he grants her a nod of thanks before lashing out with a forward, aerial kick: foot planting in the middle of the man's chest and making him stumble back and fall into a structure that crumbles on top of him. He turns and speaks a single word to the others and they are so startled they rush away, leaving her alone with the creature.

He turns to her and his eyes widen, as if he recognizes her. He speaks to her again and she shakes her head. She cannot understand his language and luckily her race has a gift that the gods blessed them with. Slowly she stashes away her dogi then lets the covering atop her head fall and once again the creature before her gasps and this time he speaks more ferociously and Akumi wonders at that moment that if she even understood his language, if she'd have caught what he said.

Grasping the armored chest of his body her fingers curl into his plates and pulls him forward and as the lightning flashes and the rains pour she presses her lips to his. His voice breaks with a slight squeak and his body tenses as her tongue comes forward and connects with his. Her people call this "The Connection" and his culture calls it a…. kiss. Yes, kiss would be the right word for it.

She hears a clatter and realizes he has dropped his taki to the ground and with a final sweep of her tongue she pulls back and looks up at him. His face is taking on a funny hue of red and his eyes are closed. She is also certain his breathing is elevated.

"The connection is complete," Akumi whispers.

"C-connection?" he gasps, eyes opening, looking dark and almost dangerous.

"To understand your language a connection must be made." Akumi's head tilts to the side. "I had to make the connection."

"I… Oh. Oh! Ah." He rubs the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. Why, she wonders. "I see."

"You are a wonderful fighter. I've been watching you and the way you took on the enemy was… very impressive."

And like that he tenses, eyes darting to the shadows, as if remember where he was and what it was he was doing.

"Thank you for your help, but it's dangerous. I cannot let you be in danger because of me."

"I am looking for someone. Ch'rell, do you know him?"

"I… no."

"Oh," she says, frowning in disappointment. "I must find him. You are hurt and weakened from battle. Let me help you. My people would be most upset if I ignore someone in need."

"You keep saying "your people"," he says, picking up his taki. "What do you mean?"

"I will explain," answers Akumi just as a shadow flashes in her peripheral vision. "As soon as we are not involved in battle."

"I am Leonardo."

"Akumi."

"Come, Akumi, we must get to the others."

Others? Before she could question he was off at a sprint and she was behind him, dashing between more strange buildings as the shadows started to enclose from all sides. A part of her was excited for the battle, never having fought outside of training, but the inexperienced part of her faltered at the number of opponents closing in. They were in trouble.

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Coming to the ledge they halt, feet sliding due to the water standing on the rooftop. Leonardo whirls around, katana drawn as the mysterious girl, Akumi, draws out her own sai. His heart is still racing from the kiss, his FIRST kiss, something he shouldn't even be thinking of with Hun and about twenty of his men closing in. Gasping for breath, Leonardo centers his mind, pushing out all thoughts of his first kiss, the girl with the beautiful elven shaped ears, and focuses on his enemies before him. He has to get them out of here, and fast, so with a roar he lurches forward. Slice, dodge, flip, kick, slice, punch, leap, block, kick, and soon they all just stop and bow. Confused, Leonardo looks around and halts when seeing four mysterious men behind him, holding an array of weaponized bo staffs and wearing what resembled samurai attire: red eyes glowing menacingly in the dark. The girl whispers something he doesn't understand and suddenly she is leaping forward and he follows, they land in a puff of smoke, their enemy now down by Hun instead of the rooftop they had been residing.

"Are they, as you call them… Demons?" she asks, her soft voice trembling slightly.

"No," said Leonardo. "Just _really_ good."

"Oh…_narphel_!"

"What?" he asks.

"I believe it is the same "curse word" you use for excrement."

"I… oh."

Then suddenly, they all turn as a group. Hun, Foot Ninja, Foot Techs, and the new warriors he has yet to battle bow and a sudden sense of dread fills him. Slowly, he looks in the direction they are bowing, and everything fades away.

"No," he whispers as the figure in the distance stands like a statue. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? All the blood drains from his face and he almost, almost drops his katana in shock, for there: standing in the shadows…

Is the Shredder.

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**TBC!**

Reviews loved and cherished! :)

Definition: muletar- a sheep-like creature with a single horn on its forehead, usually black or white


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Thanks to those that reviewed last chapter! Sorry this update has taken so long, I started on One-Two as well as Fall Out and got a lil distracted with updates on the forum as well... so without further adieu...

Dis: I don't own TMNT, however, Akumi is MY creation

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Akumi's gaze was drawn to the man standing on the rooftop away from them and that was when she felt a tingle between her shoulder blades. Drawing the weapon from the Gods she saw that the blade was glowing lightly, mists swirling along the deadly sharp edge. Looking up at the man, the one Leonardo calls Shredder, she knows she found Ch'rell. Slowly, she lifts the blade up and points it at the man and from her vantage point she can see his eyes narrow before he points his three-pronged blade attached at his knuckles at her.

However, before she can think of an attack the men that travel through smoke with ease were upon them. She was too busy dodging attacks to keep her focus on her people's number one enemy. Lashing out she sheathes the taki and pulls out her dogi just as a massive kick to her stomach sends her into the hard shell of Leonardo.

"It is him!" she shouts during battle. "Ch'rell!"

"You mean the Shredder?" he asks before he is kicked in the jaw and then a dual kick has his swords flying in the air.

"No!" shouts Akumi, knowing that it is a warrior's worst pain to lose a weapon in battle but someone grabs her hair through the wrap and she finds the attack childish before she is forced to cross her dogi in front of her to block another kick. A slice at her arm draws blood and a punch to her jaw makes vision dim then she is flying. Gripping her dogi tight she tries her best to focus and wishes she hadn't because a large building is coming up upon her fast. Suddenly, strong but shaky arms encircle her from behind and twists them so that he takes the brunt of the fall as they crash through a window. She is dimly aware of gasps of surprise around her but she is too busy trying to find her breath to care about whom they intruded on.

"LEO!" shouts a gruff voice and Akumi can relax a little, knowing they are in safe company.

"Who's the girl?" asks another and she opens her eyes and moans from the dizzying pain before trying to sit up but the heavy weight around her shoulders and waist that was Leo was inhibiting her movements.

"A-Akumi..." whispers Leonardo against her hair before his grip falters and she shifts to a sitting position only to be met with the tip of a dogi. Slowly she looks up and realizes that her wrap is no longer covering her face and was more like a scarf around her neck. "R-Raph... No... Friend."

"Who are you and what has happened to my son?" asks a stern voice that has Akumi looking to her right and seeing a sight. A large, furry creature stands before her with a large nose wearing a garment of some kind and holding a walking stick. She is certain her eyes are as large as the moons on her home world.

"I did no harm to Leonardo. Ch'rell did," answers Akumi.

"Who da shell is Ch'rell?" growls the one with the dogi.

"R-Raph," speaks Leonardo weakly and the one known as Raph bends to his level to hear him speak. "He's back..." Leonardo winces, truly in pain. "Shredder is back."

A collective gasp resonates through the living space.

"What? What did he just say?" asks a woman with red hair.

"He said the Shredder's back!" answers a turtle wearing orange. Yes, that was the right word. Using the connection she had with Leonardo she was able to put words to those around her. The woman was known as a human. The green creatures turtles. The large furry thing was a rat.

"No way," growls the turtle holding the dogi. "No way he is back."

"Who you call the Shredder here is known as Ch'rell from my world. He is, indeed, alive and we barely escaped his men. I happened upon Leonardo when he was being attacked."

"But no human could've survived that fall," said the last turtle wearing purple and she met his eyes.

"Ch'rell is not, as you say, human."

"WHAT?" squeaks the one in orange. "Not human?! What is he? A zombie? A ghost? AHHH!"

"Would ya quit it, Mikey?" growls Raph, hitting his brother upside the head.

"You are not human either," observes the one in purple as he makes a movement indicating her pointed ears. "You are elf-like."

"I am no elf. I am Akumi, of the Yakitan Village, where your planet is named..." Once again she reaches to the connection. "Earth... Mine is known as Luneah. I have come to avenge my people against the evil that almost destroyed my world."

"Well, the Shredder sure gets around to making peoples lives miserable," grumbles Mikey who was now looking out the window. "We should have known. The bad guy ALWAYS comes back in the comics!"

"Time for proper introductions can be made later," said the human woman. "We need to get Leo out of here."

"April is right," said the rat.

"Uh, guys? We've got company!" Mikey backs away from the window and as Akumi stands on her two feet he starts to, as the Earth-Clan says: freak out. "What's the plan? Leonardo always has a plan! So what are we going to do without Leo to come up with a plan?"

"No time for a plan," says Raph, crossing his dogi, or as they call it here: sai, in front of him.

"Why not?" asks Mikey.

And like that, the battle commences. Bodies clothed in black burst through glass and Akumi draws her dogi as the rest of the turtles bear arms. The one in purple implores the rat and human to help Leo while they battle and feeling that the only part of her that was sore was her shoulder: she knew she was good to fight. With skill bestowed upon her from her teachers she moves with grace, lashing out with sharp kicks and punches against easy enemies. As she sends one Foot right back out the window it came in from the one in red, Raph, nods to her in appreciation.

"Nice!" he shouts, snapping the ankle of one that tries to kick him in the head and fails.

"Retchu wendium... Um, thank you."

Just then the one in orange is grabbed by a large opponent but before harm falls upon him the rat brings himself into the battle to protect the turtle. The rat then orders the turtle to help Leonardo out and Akumi sighs before she moves beside Leonardo.

"Leo?" asks Mikey.

"My swords... Where are my swords?" asks Leonardo, in delirium. Akumi places a warm hand on his shoulder and their eyes meet once again.

"Be still, Leonardo, for we are getting out of here. Do not worry." She met the eyes of the worried turtle in orange. "Trust me, brother of Leonardo, that I will make it my warrior's oath to help him. Join your other brothers in combat."

"Right. Okay," says Michelangelo and he was gone just as Akumi braces herself and then lifts Leonardo up. He groans, trying to take some of his weight off of her but the human woman goes to his other side and braces him on her shoulders as well.

"April," he moans. "Run. Akumi... This isn't your fight. Save yourselves."

"Not my fight?" asks the one called April. "Leonardo, we're family. Your fight is MY fight. I'm not leaving you guys!" They make their way to the door. "I'd never run out on you."

Akumi is touched by the sense of family she feels from these individuals. No matter how weird the combination of beings, the love was evident. They open the door but there are many Foot there and before Akumi could think about fighting, Leonardo is using strength he shouldn't have to close the door by kicking it. The men in black burst through anyway and the turtle in orange, Mikey, kicks one and they all fall down a set of stairs.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Turtles and rats and elves. _Run_, do NOT walk, to the nearest exit!" orders Mikey.

April and Akumi take to the stairs, traveling downward with the others following. The one in purple orders Mikey to check their exit and Akumi can sense his fear as he opens the door. The rat is at her side and Akumi can tell he wants to be near Leonardo so she lets him take her spot at she travels down to where Mikey is. He looks at her.

"It's quiet," she whispers.

"Yeah, a little _too_ quiet." He smiles at her. "Always wanted to say that." He flicks on the lights and Akumi instantly draws her weapons. It is the men that defeated her and Leonardo before. "Whoa... Nice hats!"

Mikey closes the door. Akumi watches, almost amused as the one in purple named Don and Mikey argue before Don opens the door and comments on the hats as well. He goes to battle the men and when one almost skewers him with a staff she steps in and deflects it with her dogi.

"Raphie! We got some serious problems down here!" shouts Don.

"Like I don't got them up here?!" shouts Raphael from upstairs and Akumi has to admire his stamina and skill defending against numerous foes.

"The Shredder's Elite guard. They are the deadliest of his warriors," announces the rat and Akumi had to agree they were formidable foes. Then, Splinter is gone and Raphael replaces him and its four against four. Not horrible odds.

Then they are at war. Akumi gives a battle cry before performing an aerial kick that hits home in a warriors chest. She ducks and dodges and tries not to feel dissuaded as Raph and Don are immediately thrown against a wall. Mikey seems to have the best agility, back flipping his way out of harms way before landing an attack on his opponent, who ends up crashing into a glass crate. Akumi swiftly kicks her opponents legs out from beneath him and he lands on his back before another takes his place. It goes on like that for a while where between the four of them they are defending more than attacking, but staying on their feet. Then a scream has them all losing focus and Leonardo is suddenly thrown into the room, the back of his shell connecting with a metallic pillar that bends due to the force of the throw and Akumi recognizes the rock of a man that comes into the room. Raphael, enraged, runs forward and manages to attack the man before slamming the door on him. Akumi gladly takes on two of the warriors so that Raphael can protect his brother but like that they are suddenly gone in smoke and blocking the front door that is kicked in by Ch'rell.

The Shredder.

"Ah, crud," growls Raphael.

"I-It's really him," says Mikey in almost a whimper.

He speaks and every word has Akumi's skin crawl. He calls the turtles freaks and he speaks of revenge from their last encounter and that is when she stashes her dogi and pulls out her still glowing taki.

"And what is this?" hisses Ch'rell. "I do not believe we had the pleasure of meeting."

"I am Akumi Tigahari of the clan Yakitan. You decimated my home world. Enslaved my people and murdered thousands. Prepare to meet your end."

He laughs. LAUGHS! She loses herself. She cannot believe her enemy laughs mockingly at her and with the protests of those around her she charges into battle. She manages to dodge the first punch and kick but suddenly a meaty fist slams into her face, making her stagger back and before she can regain her footing she is flying: her back slamming into the same pole Leonardo had moments ago. She is aware of yelling and warm hands on her face that have three fingers and a rough texture and she is certain she blacks out for a moment until there is a crash and she sees another man. Human. Riding a steed of steel as he takes out the Elite guard. The turtles know him. Casey is his name and she slowly stands to her feet as they face off once again against the Foot. She is aware of the taste of her life's essence on her tongue, what this world calls blood. She does not care, for she charges forward once more.

She is weak but still seeks out Ch'rell and finds him watching the battle. Coward, letting his men fight his battles for him. Seeing the one called Casey defending Leo and the brothers attacking Elite and Foot she goes for Shredder once more. She screams as he dodges her attacks and a small spike of fear travels through her. He is good. Almost TOO good as he tosses her aside like a rag doll, right into Leonardo who had been trying to stand up. Shredder was over them and she had her taki up to defend them both when the rat laid in another attack that sends the Shredder back and Akumi sees this as an opportunity to attack as well. Together, her and Splinter fight: dodging and kicking until the Shredder is cornered but she is surprisingly taken out of the battle and in the grip of the large man someone calls Hun. The man as large as a mountain squeezes tightly and she lets out a painful cry until the one known as Raphael kicks him away from her. She falls to the ground just as the rat calls for retreat.

No. _No_! She would not retreat until Ch'rell was dead! She growls, spitting out more blood before looking up to see the Shredder before her. She strikes out, catching him in the side with the glowing blade and she hears a choked gasp as he falls to his knees just as someone lifts her up into their arms. She watches, as the Shredder remains on the ground, her taki still in her hand as she is brought into a small room.

Slowly her eyes start to close and she looks up. It is Mikey that has her in his arms and she smiles her thanks before the darkness overtakes her and she passes out. She awakens sometime later to the feel of something wet on her face. Opening her eyes she knows she is moving and looks up to see Mikey still carrying her. She moans as he lands after a long jump and he looks down to see her eyes open.

"Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty."

"What happened?"

"Place blew. Going to a friends. You're safe."

"Leonardo?"

"Raph's got him."

"Good," she whispers softly before falling back into the black.

Just how hard was she hit?

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She awakens much later, squinting because the sun is in her eyes. They are moving but she is warm and dry. Sitting up she moans in pain and the one called April moves around in her seat.

"Hey! How are you feeling?"

"Like a quazik rammed me then stamped me to the earth."

She gains questioning glances from Casey and April. April, however, smiles before offering her a bottle filled with clear liquid. Looking at it curiously, Akumi shakes it then gives a questioning look to April.

"It's water. Unscrew the top and drink."

"Right," answers Akumi before doing just that. She downs the bottle in less than five seconds. "Do you have more?"

"Uh... Yeah, hold on." April offers her another. "So, who taught you to fight like that? You were really good. Even managed to get a slice out of the Shredder."

"My master Kenji has taught me since I was three life cycles," says Akumi before drinking the second bottle of water gone.

"Uh, what does she mean by cycles?" asks the male named Casey almost awkwardly.

"Not what YOU are thinking I'm sure," mutters April. "You were young."

"Yes very."

"So like three years OLD, Casey."

"Oh, yeah, hey, I get it," stammers Casey and Akumi is wondering what he was thinking she meant by cycles... Humans were weird.

"Where are we going? Where are the turtles? Is Leonardo all right?"

"To my grandmothers, the turtles are in the back. Leo is fine," says Casey. "As far as we know anyway."

Akumi straightens. "Stop this... This THING."

"What?"

"STOP!" Casey puts on the breaks, the steel contraption they are in... Oh, the connection to Leonardo is so weak she cannot even find the word of the thing they travel in! "I wish to be with Leonardo."

"It's cold as heck back there."

"I do not care..." Akumi looks around. "How do I exit this thing?"

"Ah, let me help you," said Casey and soon she is outside. She is curious and wants to observe what the white stuff is... She's never seen anything but green grass and it IS cold outside and she shivers as Casey opens the door and she is met with the curious looks of three turtles and the rat.

"She, uh, wanted to come back here."

"DA SHELL its FREEZIN! Couldn't she wait?" growls Raph.

"Apparently not," said Casey as Akumi ignores the simmering turtle and instead kneels before Leonardo. "Uh, be there in about an hour guys."

The door closes and its dark save for a single source of warm light. She would study it later and instead places her bruising and slightly cut hand on Leonardo's forehead.

"I am sorry to delay your journey," she says to the others, eyes still on Leonardo. "I just feel our connection dimming. I had to see him."

"What's dis connection yer talkin' about. Who ARE you?" asks Raph.

"Let me explain..."

Knowing she could trust Leonardo, she told his brothers everything from her people's fate due to Ch'rell to her growing up a warrior and her destiny to her dreams and arrival upon their planet. Mikey would interrupt to ask questions that had her almost smiling and she would answer them patiently before continuing. When she finishes she is met with silence until Splinter rests his hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you for sharing," he says. "Now let me tell you our story."

She listens intently. When she shivers from the cold she is offered to share a blanket with Mikey who wraps a friendly arm around her bruised shoulder. When Splinter finishes their tale, with no interruption, she is also in awe of their story and the rest of the ride is made in silence save for a few weak whimpers from Leonardo which she soothes away with a sweep of her fingertips on what would be considered his brow.

"Your connection to my son. I can feel it... See the thread that binds you." Splinter's gaze bores into hers and she shifts in her seat. "I feel that not only his body but spirit is injured... It would be interesting to see how your presence will help his healing."

"I..." Akumi nodded, licking her lips then wincing from the pain. "I've never made a connection before. This is as new to me as it will be for your son."

Splinter nods and soon they are stopping. The doors open and the group wince as the sun and bright snow glare inside. Casey is standing there, motioning them out. Akumi steps outside and though she shivers she looks around. The scenery is beautiful. White dust covers everything and her breath leaves her body in a smoky mist as she bends down to touch it. It is very, very cold and melts against her fingertips as she raises them to study the... Ice? No its...

"First time seeing snow?" asks Donatello and she looks to him, smiling self-consciously.

"Um, yes."

"It's a pain, but beautiful out in the countryside. Here, let's get inside and clean you up a bit."

Akumi nods and follows her new friends into the... Well it was supposed to be a home but it was falling apart and she jumps as a piece of wood falls and almost lands upon their heads.

"Geez, Case, if Shreddah can't finish us off den yer house will!" grumbles Raphael.

.

"Sorry, I didn't have much I could get before we left," says April as she hands Akumi a bag. "There is a toothbrush, hair brush, and some clothes in there for you."

"I, uh, thanks," says Akumi, peering into the bag. Donatello had been adamant about cleaning her wounds and now, sitting in a room where it had been explained how a toilet and sink works, which had been embarrassing at the time, she is left alone for the first time since arriving here. Sighing she places the bag on a small counter and starts disrobing. Carefully she puts the cloth of her people in the basket she was indicated to before standing bare before the reflective surface known as a mirror.

Frowning she leans forward and prods her bruising cheek, wincing as her fingertips gently push on her split lower lip. She has a cut on her left brow and another bruise on her upper right cheek where Ch'rell struck her. Lower, near her ribs, there were purple and red bruises but luckily it did not hurt to breathe. Wincing slightly from the movement she pulls on the simple pair of white cotton underwear and gray sweatpants. She puts on wool socks and skips the contraption known as the bra and instead pulls a thick sweater like piece of clothing that had large, comfortable sleeves and a hood on over her head. Knowing others are waiting she quickly brushes her hair but not her teeth then rebinds it atop her head. Exiting the room with her bag of items she realizes there are many rooms upstairs but they are cold and some rooms have holes in the walls so she decides to keep her stuff downstairs with the others.

There is a crowd surrounding Leonardo and she can sense their worry and fear. She stays in the background as Donatello, Michelangelo, and then Raphael speak to him. With Raphael, she is tempted to hit him but his anger and attacks against Leo and calling him chicken fall away as tears streak down his cheeks and she now knows that his fear of his brother not waking up drove him to lash out. He reminds her of not only herself but her cousin, who she is missing dearly.

She follows him to the window and places her hand on his tense shoulder. They stare out into the darkness and she speaks. "His spirit, though weakened now, is strong. He will pull through. As your master said. All he needs is some time."

"Yeah," he answers, turning his head back to stare at her. "Yeah. Yer right. He'll wake up." Raphael then looks at his brother. "He has to."

"He will," Akumi says, squeezing his shoulder comfortingly and leaving his side just as Splinter finishes up a tale about Leonardo's fear of heights. Then, that's when it happens... It's a small groan and whisper and suddenly Leonardo's eyes are open and he's speaking!

"No... Fear..." he whispers.

A massive cheer erupts around the room and Akumi smiles as she takes in the familial scene. Leonardo speaks of them bringing him back, that he had almost been gone and he heard their pleas and returned to them. He asks about her and she steps forward. He frowns at her for a moment and she isn't sure why and doesn't ask as Splinter tells them all he now needs his rest. Akumi turns to leave but Leonardo's soft plea has her slowly lowering to the floor beside the couch.

"I'm sorry... you got hurt... because of our fight..."

"No, Leonardo, you helped me. Without you I surely would've perished had I found Ch'rell on my own." Hesitating for only a moment she places her hand atop his bald head and his eyes lower almost instantly. "You need your rest. Sleep. We will talk more when you wake."

"Ok..." Then he is silent and she smiles as she closes her eyes and reaches out to the connection. It's getting stronger and stronger, and it is then that she knows he will be all right.

.

**TBC**...

Ok I followed the episode: The Shredder Strikes Back as close as I could with adding a new character to the mix. From now on out this story will have more MY spin than canon... Until next time!

Reviews are loved, cherished, and placed on my altar of WOOT WOOT! ;)


	4. Chapter 4

Note: These next couple chapters will now be happening between x19 and 1x20 from season one of the 2003TMNT series…. For those that reviewed, yep, as stated in the first post, this story is occurring during the 2K3 series and there WILL be correlation between my story and some of the canon stories :)

Dis: I don't own TMNT

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Akumi stands on the frozen earth, bent at the waist, studying the snow once again: the tips of her hair resting against the ground. She can't get over it! Frozen water, soft and powdery, that makes a crunching sound beneath her feet! It was unheard of! With a sigh she straightens up and starts giggling while kicking up her feet, making it puff up and flutter around her person.

"She's playin' in the snow again?" asks Raphael as he goes out to the porch where Donatello stands with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. Both are wrapped in blankets to ward off the cold. Casey said he'd go looking for some old winter gear in the attic but hasn't gotten around to it yet.

"She's like a kid on Christmas," answers Donatello with a smile before sipping his coffee.

"Ya seen Mikey around? He said to meet him out here 'n dat he had ta show me somethin'."

"Nope, can't say I have," says Don, peering into his now empty coffee mug with a frown.

Then, out of nowhere, comes a snowball and it explodes on Akumi's face. Raphael and Don both gasp and their eyes turned upward due to hearing a creak above their head.

"WAH!" she shouts in alarm, twisting around in the direction it came from, head peering up to the roof.

"Ah, crud, I found Mikey," growls Raphael as a laughing Michelangelo leaps from the top of the roof to stand beside Akumi, who is now spitting snow out of her mouth.

"Ahahaha, I got ya, Akumi!" teases Mikey, hand on his stomach from laughing so hard while he points at her.

"W-W-Why would you do that?" she asks, opening her wide blue eyes to stare up at Michelangelo.

"Oh! I, oh man, I'm sorry!" says Mikey, waving his arms in slight panic. "Please don't cry, I-GAH!"

Akumi kicks up a flurry of snow into Mikey's face and he backtracks enough to have her launch forward, despite her injuries, and tackle the turtle into the snow. Raphael and Donatello watch, astonished and yet amused at the same time, as handfuls of snow starts being tossed down upon their younger brother.

"Should we help him?" asks Donatello.

"Shell no. The runt deserves it. He was gunnin' for me and grew bored and got her instead."

"What's going on?" inquires a soft, tired voice from the doorway and both Donatello and Raphael grin widely before turning to their leader.

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"Leo! Yer up!"

"Leo! You feeling ok?"

Leonardo gives a weak smile before limping forward. His leg still hurts and he feels pretty useless having his left shoulder in a sling. It hurt to breathe too. He had his shell handed to him and he was trying to deal with it but it was hard to when you have someone hovering over you every second. He distinctly remembers seeing a barn while looking out the window earlier and was going to go explore it. Instead he found two brothers standing on the porch while the third was getting pummeled by his alien friend by handfuls of snow.

"Hey. What's going on?"

"Mikey was being his usual self and Akumi decided to fight back," says Donatello just as Akumi decides enough is enough and lets Mikey up, who looks more like a snowturtle than a green turtle.

"Leo! Your girlfriend is mean!" cries Mikey while shaking the snow off. "Brr this is COLD!"

Three turtles move out of their little brother's way as he rushes past them. They all turn when Akumi's giggle, which sounds like the tiny bells that used to be above April's shop door, caught their attention. Leonardo studies her, wearing April's coat and a hat that hides her ears. She looks… Happy. Care-free. That smile she directs at him has him blushing as she practically skips in their direction.

"Good morning, Leonardo."

"Akumi! Good morning."

"The connection feels strong this morning. You are healing very fast." Her blue eyes connect with his brown and once again he blushes from her gaze. "You are very strong."

"I-uh-um… Thank you."

"So…" Leonardo winces internally. Great, not only was he awkward in front of a stranger, but his brothers are there to witness it as well. His week just keeps getting better and better. Slowly his eyes travel to Raphael who has a smug grin on his face before he continues speaking. "What's dis connection yer talkin' about it? You kinda skimmed over it while explainin' it on the way up here."

"Oh! Well not every one of my people is capable of accomplishing a connection with a different race. Um, it takes some practice but I got the hang of it by thirteen life cycles."

_'Oh man, this is so bad… So, so, so bad,'_ thinks Leonardo as she continues on.

"Basically when you are met with someone who does not speak your language, or that you do not understand, the connection helps you understand them. There are varieties of it, some that life mates use but with what I did with Leonardo was to just understand his language. In short term I will be able to track his emotions and sense his location but it will fade over time but I will forever have the imprint of your language and culture in my head. English AND Japanese since Leonardo knew both."

"How is this accomplished?" asks Donatello.

"Oh, well, I can show you," she says cheerfully. "The more connections I make the more I am able to understand things of this world."

"NO!" shouts Leonardo, which has Akumi and Donatello jump and Raphael narrow his eyes at him in suspicion. "I mean, uh, well… Ah, shell…"

"My, Leo, dats an interestin' shade of red yer turnin'."

"He did that during the connection as well," said Akumi. "I believe it shows embarrassment, but, I do not get how a kiss is an embarrassment in your culture."

"A what?" exclaims Donatello.

"Ya kissed her?!" Raphael starts full out laughing. "Ah, man, dis is too good. Mikey's gunna be pissed he missed this."

"Launguage, Raphael," admonishes Leo.

"I… I do not get this joke," says Akumi with a deep frown. "The connection is the meeting of the mouths to understand the language. It is necessary to link in that manner."

"Akumi, ah, a kiss, is a term of endearment," says Donatello, trying to explain. "It's reserved for two people who have a strong connection with each other. Kinda the same as yours, but they are in love."

"Love?" she asks.

"They care for each other. Deeply. They, uh, get married they, erm…"

"Mate?" she asks.

"I-um-I don't think we're the right ones to talk to her about this," says Donatello, now turning red as well.

"Look, Akumi, you know where babies come from, right?" asks Raphael.

"I, yes!" she says and now everyone but the red bandana-clad turtle was blushing.

"Well, before it gets to dat step here, there's a lot of touchin' 'n kissin'."

"I… Oh. OH! OH Leonardo I am so sorry!" Akumi covers her face with her bare hands. "I courted you! Yes? I made you think I had intentions! Oh, I'm sorry, I had no idea!"

"I-It's ok, Akumi. Really." Leonardo raises his good arm and places his hand on her shoulder. "It's ok."

"You were so eager I thought that perhaps you knew what I was doing, but, oh…" her hands clasp tightly in front of her and start to wring in distress. Leonardo was studying his feet as Raphael's laughter increased.

"Eager? What? Did he use tongue or something?" Silence. "Oh this is good. MIKEY!"

"I'll be in the barn," whispers Leonardo softly before squeezing her shoulder. "Do not feel bad, Akumi. You… You didn't know what you were doing."

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Akumi watches as Leonardo walks away from her and she feels awful. She didn't know that kissing was a bond between mates. Had she, then perhaps she'd have found another route to communicate. Oh! She wasn't saying that Leonardo was bad looking and thinking of their kiss has her cheeks coloring once more. In fact, amongst her people, he'd be a suitable mate for any female: even though he was green and had a shell and was still in his early years. She, herself, was quickly approaching what is considered to be the peak time to find a mate, however… She was in no hurry.

"Are you ok?" asks the one named Donatello and she nods. "I'm sorry for the immaturity of my brothers Raphael and Michelangelo. Now that Mikey knows he may tease you mercilessly as payback for the white-wash you gave him."

"White-wash?"

"Snow in the face," he explains.

"Oh." Akumi starts playing with the ends of her hair, turning her head back to look at the barn that now has a small bit of smoke coming from the top. He built a fire. Already she could smell the smoldering timber. "Should I speak with him?"

"Maybe," says Don. "But I have some questions for you. If you don't mind."

"It isn't about the connection, is it?" she asks suspiciously.

"No. NO. Trust me."

"Ok," says Akumi, following him inside. "What would you like to know?"

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Akumi was exposed to numerous new things throughout the day but now, towel-drying her hair after her long bath: she felt great. Setting the towel in a hamper she exits the bathroom wearing the same clothes she slept in the night before. She enters the kitchen where Master Splinter is sipping tea at the table. He gestures for her to sit with him and she does, nervously playing with her hair. At dinner, of which Leonardo had been absent for, Michelangelo told him about how they obtained the connection and she had been forced to look down at her pizza in mortification as the humans, Raphael, and Michelangelo laughed at her expense.

"Ms. Akumi, I would like to apologize for how my sons acted during dinner." She looked up, blue eyes wide with confusion. "They have been sent to their room for the night. The room I made sure had a couple bats and spiders in it. They are _truly_ sorry."

"I… It's ok. I just need to learn some of the customs here before…" He interrupts her.

"A great custom here on Earth is kindness. One should not go out of their way to make another feel uncomfortable or upset. My sons are learning that lesson tonight. You have been nothing but kind to my family and from here on out they will show you the same courtesy."

"_Retchu wendium_… that is what my people say to show thanks," she says with a slight bow of her head. Splinter reciprocates the bow before rising from his seat. Showing respect for an elder she rises as well.

"It is late," says Splinter, reaching for his cup. "I shall retire for the night."

"Let me." She gathers his tea cup and the pot and places it in the sink. She plays with her fingers for a moment before licking her lips. "Thank you for your… kindness."

"You are most welcome. Good night." He pauses in the doorway. "There is a plate in the fridge for my son… I believe he may be hungry." Then he is gone.

Akumi listens until the tapping of his cane fades in the other room. She looks up as she hears a shriek, a yell full of surprise, and then silence. She almost feels sorry that Raphael and Michelangelo are being punished due to her inability to take a jest.

Almost.

She turns to the window and looks out to see a faint glow in the barn and she sighs. Closing her eyes she touches their connection and she can feel a heavy cloud of sadness from the barn as well as… Guilt? Surprised at the last she opens the fridge and take out the plate. It is cold. When they had it earlier it had been warm. Biting her lower lip she questions if she should seek someone out to assist her or if he would be ok with it being cold.

"Wow, that plate must be pretty interesting," says a voice from behind her that has her jumping and twisting around, almost dropping the plate. "Sorry."

"It is ok, April. I… I wish to warm this up for Leonardo."

"Here, I'll help you."

Akumi watches as April puts the plate into a metallic box and pushes some symbols, numbers, to get it started. Her people are primitive compared to this culture that uses so much… Electronics. She was used to cooking on an open fire not in… A box. The box beeps and April hands her the plate of steaming pizza.

"I'm sorry I laughed," says April. "So is Casey. We didn't think about how you would feel. We're a very, very friendly bunch that just likes to joke around with one another. Trust me; I'm usually the one getting teased. They don't mean anything by it."

"I was speaking to Splinter about this earlier. Trust that I feel no ill will to you or anyone else."

"Well, know that Raph and Mikey will be sorry in the morning, I'm sure." April rinses out the teapot Akumi just put in the sink before putting some water in it to warm up. "Leonardo likes tea. Let me get this ready for you as well."

After getting the tea ready and placing it in what April calls a thermos and reheating the pizza, Akumi makes her way to the barn. The wind was picking up and she shivered due to having only the sweatshirt on but once making it inside the warm barn the chill was immediately gone. She smells dirt and hay and sitting in front of a small fire made in a strange structure that directs the smoke upward from the roof: was Leonardo.

He is looking right at her and she lifts up the pizza and thermos.

"I brought you some sustenance."

"You didn't have to."

"I…" She looks down at her feet, wrapped in the warm shoes from her home world made of the finest leather. "I wanted to. Is… Is that ok?"

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Leonardo honestly wasn't hungry but he didn't want to be rude. Rising from his spot he smiles at her before gesturing her forward. She smiles brightly and he is reminded of Mikey. It isn't hard to get a smile out of her. They sit together on separate stumps. She carefully pours what looks to be tea in the cap of the thermos and as he takes his first bite of plain cheese pizza his stomach growls loudly.

Ok, maybe he HAD been hungry.

"You have been out here all day."

"Just thinking," he answers, before taking another bite of pizza, chewing carefully as he puts down the slice and takes the cup of tea from her. It tastes good and he takes a larger sip. "Have my brothers been behaving?"

"Oh." Is it his imagination or is there a flash of hurt in her eyes? What did his brothers do THIS time? "Akumi?"

"Michelangelo made it a point to tell your Sensei as well as the humans of how we, um…"

"Ugh… Mikey." Leonardo brought his hand up to pinch the sudden throbbing at the bridge of where his nose would be. "I'm going to kill him." She gasps and his head snaps up to see her horrified expression. "Oh! NO! I'm not being serious. It's… a figure of speech. It just means I'm very, very upset."

"O-Oh," she says in relief, hand to her chest. "Your kind is very… expressive."

Leonardo smiles, then frowns softly before reaching forward and placing his hand on her knee. He fights the blush as her warm gaze meets his. "You sure you're ok?"

"I know they were joking and that they did not mean to be so… Cruel." She feels his fingers clench at her knee and she places her hand over his. "I promise you Leonardo that there are no feelings of hardness."

He smiles, but doesn't correct her. "Ok." She smiles again and he realizes this is the most comfortable he's been all day. Here, with her, he is able to focus his thoughts and just… Be.

"Why are you guilty?"

Well, there was no sidestepping with her. He looks away. "I'm… I'm not."

"I can feel it."

Just how powerful was this connection! Now HE was starting to freak out. Did she know EVERYTHING?

"No I sense panic. Leonardo, you can trust me. You know this, yes?"

"Yes. I'm… Just not ready to talk about it yet."

"Oh…" She tilts her head to the side. "Are you finished eating?"

"Oh!" He blushes once realizing his hand is still on her knee, and pulls it away. "Almost."

"Is it… Satisfactory?"

"Yes."

"And the tea?"

"Yes," he says, smiling once more, earning a smile back.

"Good." There is a loud, piercing shriek that sounds oddly like Raphael coming from the house. Alarm fills Leonardo's body and he reaches for his swords… Only to remember that they are gone but before he can fall back into that dark void her hand comes to his shoulder and he sees mirth in her eyes. "Your Master Splinter told me that Michelangelo and Raphael are sleeping in a room with spiders and bats for the evening. From the reactions I have heard this night, I take it they have a fear of them."

"Are you serious?" he asks before a small laugh escapes his body. "Yes. Raph hates bugs and Mikey has, on more than one occasion, screech about his dislike of bats and refereeing to them as rats with wings."

"But your Master is a…" Akumi trails off and Leonardo's mirthful eyes have her grinning. "Oh. I see."

Leonardo yawns and Akumi stands, offering her hand. "Shall we go to sleep?"

"I… Yeah… H-Hold on."

Leonardo extinguishes the fire and Akumi balances the thermos on the plate in one hand and holds Leonardo's hand in another. Leonardo observes that her skin is softer than April's and his fingers almost burn from the heat of her hand. She walks close to him and he hopes that it is because she wants to, and not because she fears he will fall over. By the time they make it inside he hears some snores and only some shuffling from upstairs. Akumi places the thermos and plate in the sink before walking Leonardo to the sofa. He protests lightly but listens when she pointedly looks at him to lie down. He does so, wincing only slightly before she settles the blanket on over him. His eyes close as her familiar caress passes over the top of his head.

"Goodnight Leonardo-Kun."

The endearment surprises him and he stutters a reply, once again blushing, and he wonders if he'll ever get it under control. "G-Goodnight Akumi-Chan."

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"Raph?" A flutter of wings has Mikey pulling the blanket over his head on the floor where he and his brother made a fort to help keep out the pests on the outside. "Raph?!"

"Whut?" growls Raph, who tenses and slaps the back of his neck. One could obviously see the tension in his eyes and the tightness of his body as he starts to slap at his arms as well. "Bugs… I friggen HATE bugs!"

"I am never, ever, _ever_ teasing that girl _ever_ again!"

"Yeah." They both tense because they SWEAR they hear the pitter patter of bat wings and spider feet. "I agree!"

"I'm so scared right now," whimpers Mikey. "Hold me!"

Mikey lunges to the right, making the already shaky fort they constructed fall on top of them.

"DAMMIT MIKEY!" shouts Raph in panic cause he KNEW there was probably a spider on the other side of that blanket ready to suck his blood.

"EYAHHH SAVE ME RAPH!"

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**TBC**…

Reviews are loved, cherished, and all other fluffy words… ;)

cowabungacorner . proboards . com


	5. Chapter 5

Note: A few things to update you all on, I updated my profile page with links to my Tumblr, Youtube, and TMNT forum accounts…. Please check them out in your free time if you'd like! Also, some confusion as to who I am, when I opened Cowabunga Corner I didn't realize that name is widely known through a different website… I am not Michele Ivey, and to rectify this I'll be changing the name of my board by the end of this week! Once again, thanks to those that take the time to read and review! You make my day!Dis: I don't own TMNT...

Akumi awakens with a sense of panic in her chest. Breathing roughly through her mouth she pulls strands of loose, black hair around her pointed ears before wiping at the sweat on her brow with the back of her hand. A hand then rests over her palpitating heart and she turns her head as a shuffling catches her attention. There, on the couch, is Leonardo: whimpering in discomfort and she knows he is lost to the demons in his sleep once more. Since she brought him dinner a week prior they have been spending some time apart: mainly because he did ask for his privacy and she granted him his wish, but each night his nightmares plagued him and tonight it seems it is more troubling than usual.

Unlike Akumi, Raphael went out to the barn clearly disregarding Leonardo's wishes, and would come back looking more grim than before. Akumi was starting to worry about her friend once more and as she tosses her coverings aside she easily maneuvers herself to kneel beside him. Raising a delicate hand up she lowers it to rest at his brow and the whimpering diminishes and his breathing evens out as she connects with him, pressing her forehead to his temple. It is, as she can best describe, like a lifeline. A security blanket. When two people with the connection are together all the shadows of your thoughts seem to vanish with a single touch, something life mates are thankful to have each other for… NOT that Leonardo and her were mates but the thought wasn't all that… Bad. He is still young, and she would barely be considered an adult herself on her next life cycle, and she huffs in annoyance when her mother's words of finding a boy echos in her thoughts… A feather light touch against her wrist has her smiling and forgetting all of her previous thoughts before straightening to meet the half-open eyes of Leonardo.

"A-Akumi? What are you doing?" he asks softly and she pulls her hand away but his grip tightens slightly on her wrist.

"You were having nightmares. I was helping you come to peace in your sleep."

"Oh…" He looks away. "Yes, I understand. Thank you."

"You are welcome." She tilts her head to the side, hair falling over her shoulders with the movement. "You wish to speak more?"

Leonardo opens his mouth, then closes it again: gaze adverting from hers. Akumi misses their talks, her evenings now spent answering questions from those closest to him about her home world, Ch'rell, and herself. They would then share their stories with her and many made her smile and laugh like she used to when she was young, before her life became that of her dogi.

Almost reluctantly he releases her wrist but her hand travels to his injured shoulder, her mouth falling into a slight frown as her fingertips travel over the surprisingly smooth skin. Her touch draws his gaze back to her face which he can just make out in the darkness of the room.

"Your arm… Is it better?"

"It's getting there." She smiles and his heart warms. He is unsure of his feelings for this girl. The mutated turtle part of him is telling him to back off, though she is an alien too: they are still too different. However, the teenage male inside him wants to pull her down and share another kiss with her. THAT part of him he was doing his best to keep locked up in a cage. "My range of motion is improving."

"Good." She turns her head away so he can only see her profile, a deep frown on her face. "A part of me feels the same as you Leonardo. I failed my people and let Ch'rell get away. As a warrior I feel… flawed. It is my duty to slay the one who violated our lands and instead I hide and cower like a sprout* during a storm."

A single tear escapes her eye, surprising Leonardo to the point where he sits up, struggling only a little, then wraps his good arm around her shoulders and pulls her in for a one-armed hug. Her arms go around him as well and he hesitates only a moment before resting his chin atop her head. They stay like that for a while until the sounds of movement upstairs has them splitting apart. Being brave, Leonardo smiles softly while trailing a thick finger beneath Akumi's eye: wiping away a tear.

"We will have our chance again," he says. "We just need to be ready."

"Hai," she answers, making him smile more. "I'll let you get some more rest."

"No, I'm awake now. I should start my day." He stands, and then offers his hand to her, which she takes and he helps pull her up. "You take the couch for a while. Ok?"

She nods and he watches as she settles in against the cushions, pulling the same blanket he uses over her and is it his imagination or does she sniff the pillow and smile before closing her eyes? Emotions warring he practically runs out of the living room to his safe haven: the barn.

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The day passes in a flurry of motion. Michelangelo makes the mistake of being caught on camera and to be safe while he rectifies his mistake, Splinter asks Akumi to stay inside the house with him. She wants to go to the barn, to keep Leonardo company, but something in the way she feels has her hesitating… Like he was making a break through and with Raphael missing, she wonders of perhaps he has a hand in the turnaround. So instead she follows April around, helping her clean some more with Mikey, Don, and Casey out trying to protect their secret. Akumi often hears Splinter muttering about his sons, especially Michelangelo, but she reads no contempt, just worry. Hours pass and when she's ready to burst out of the home and deal with the woman herself, Donatello is beckoning them outside to watch the retreating vehicles.

"How did you manage such a feat?" asks Akumi, smiling widely.

"Well, you see…"

And he tells how they actually DID find a creature out in the woods, and the thought had April looking worried before Donatello assured that the creature was friendly. How they had Casey impersonate the creature was smart, and Akumi shares what is called a "fist-bump" with Mikey when he says they saved the day. Casey then comes out of the woods and Akumi giggles with how ridiculous he looks. He says something about reporters being vicious and that is when Raphael comes around the back of the house: trying to gain their attention.

"Hey Guys! Guys! Come around back. There's someone I want you ta meet!"

"It's not the furry creature from the woods, is it?" asks April timidly.

"What? No," answers Raphael, clearly confused. "C'mon!"

They all follow, Akumi hanging around the back. She smiles secretly as they near the barn. The emotions she's picking up on through the bond are a mix of not just nervousness, but bravery and determination. Raphael opens the doors to the barn and walking out of the shadows is Leonardo with a brand new pair of katana.

"Allow me to introduce you ta Leonardo, new and improved."

"Uh, hey everyone," says a slightly bashful Leo, a large grin on his face.

The group speaks at once, each welcoming the one and true Leonardo back into the fold. Smiles, small hugs, and pats on the shell are given to the ninja turtle and Akumi smiles as he comes to her. She places a hand on his shoulder in welcome and he smiles widely at her until she releases her hold and he turns to address them all.

"Guys, I think it's time we return to New York, and finish our business with the Shredder once and for all."

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"I'm almost going ta miss this dirty hell-hole," says Raphael as he puts the last of their stuff in the small trailer. He then thinks of the night he had to sleep with Mikey in the room from his worst nightmares. "_Almost_."

"_I'm_ not," answers Mikey, eagerly getting into the trailer, wrapping himself in a thick blanket. "I miss my comics, and the TV, _and_ my video games! I say HORRAY for going back!"

"Guys," interrupts Leo. "Remember that when we go back into the sewers we will have to be extra careful. Shredder is more than likely still scouring the city looking for us."

"Leonardo is right," answers Splinter. "Do not forget your ninja training. We are all eager to go home after being gone for so long but we must remain cautious."

"All set, guys," says April cheerfully, though the turtles did frown because the cheer was false. She had no home to go back to, and it was their fault. Immediately they had offered her to stay with them until she figures something out and she had given her thanks by crying into Don's shoulder and hugging them all.

"I am excited to see your home," says Akumi and all eyes turn to her. She is back in her own clothing, the black silk and armored plates hugging her body in ways ALL teenage boys would approve of, which had Splinter frowning darkly at his sons if their gazes linger on certain parts for too long. "How long has it been since you've been there?"

"Almost three months," says Leonardo sadly. "We had to leave because of Shredder's presence in the sewer."

"I've gotten no security blips in our time gone," assures Donatello. "It should be ok, Leo."

After announcing the desire of returning home, Splinter had the turtles and even Akumi train hard for three days. Their training must have been satisfactory for that morning at breakfast Splinter made the announcement that they could go home. Now they are closing this sad chapter from their lives, and also ready to take their lives back.

"Akumi, ya comin?" asks Raphael from the back of the trailer.

Since that awful night of teasing, he's been nothing but nice: the teasing only light now. Like a reehan*, a brother: and Akumi nods before following Splinter and the turtles to the back of the trailer. Mini lights turn on and they settle down for their journey equipped with some snacks and drinks for the road as well as a small radio that plays music and by the time they make it back to New York Akumi decides that she does not like anything with what was called 'bass'. It makes her sensitive ears hurt.

"Ready?" asks Leonardo as they dim the lights when the car comes to a stop.

"Ready," they all answer.

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Akumi looks around her, filled with curiosity as they travel the sewer. Leonardo had to assure her that where they were going wasn't a sewage tunnel, but a storm drainage system, especially after the list of things Mikey said could be found in their sewer: including alligators! She was skeptical at first but after walking along the dripping tunnels she decided it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. It was also very quiet. Though they travel in the shadows, there is not a soul in sight and even when Casey kicks an object and then insists no one is around-all is quiet. Splinter sniffs the air and Akumi reaches out for any form of negative emotion and once again there is… Nothing.

She watches as Donatello twists a pipe and a series of pipes move, he turns a wheel then presses buttons and the whole wall opens and she steps back, pressing into the plastron of Raphael. He chuckles, hands going to her shoulders and giving her a playful shove forward and she follows the group in: Mikey the most eager of them all.

"Welcome home everybody," says Donatello.

"Ah, just like we left it," says Leonardo and Akumi can feel the happiness bubble in her chest.

Akumi stills in the middle of the main chamber. It is large and beautiful. Mikey rushes immediately to a room on the right and Raphael goes to a bag hanging in the air to give it a few hits. Splinter is moving at his own pace, while Casey follows Mikey into what looks like the kitchen. Donatello is sitting on a chair before many screens on a… She tilts her head for a word.

"Computer," whispers April into her ear before she goes to Donatello's side at his chair.

"I don't get it," says Raphael loudly between punches and kicks. "Last time the Foot goons were all over the sewers looking for us. Why would he just send them all home?"

"Maybe he thinks there's no one to search for," says Leonardo, moving from her side to catch the bag.

"Y'know… Being dead might have its advantages," says Raphael with a sly smile.

"A very large advantage," chimes in Akumi.

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" asks Mikey, returning from his journey to the kitchen with a damp Casey behind him.

"I think he's thinking what you think he's thinking," chirps Donatello.

"If he's thinking what I'm thinking then I'm thinking we shouldn't just be thinking," says Raphael, making a fist and slamming it into his opposite palm before looking at Casey. "What do you think?"

"Uh… huh?" asks a confused Casey, wiping damp curls behind his ear, a stench wafting from him to the others.

"Ugh," says April. "What's that smell?"

"Three month old milk," answers Mikey with a grin.

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Akumi sits on a blue sofa while they hatch a plan. She feels sort of out of place and in the middle of planning, Leonardo's gaze shifts to her and she wonders if he can feel her slight discomfort. She lets them plan, because she has her own thoughts to process. She was going to get another chance at Ch'rell and she would NOT, could not, mess it up this time. What she needs now is somewhere quiet to think of her own battle plan and she is about to ask if such a place is around when a burst of energy catches her attention. An energy so similarly familiar that she snaps her head to the right in slight fear and before she can even move the large body of Raphael is upon her, slamming her into the sofa.

"Akumi!" shouts Leonardo.

"Ah, crud," says a still smoking Raphael who immediately gets up and frowns when seeing Akumi bleeding from the nose, looking scared out of her mind. "'m sorry, Akumi, I forgot that when ya touch the sword it packs a punch and sends ya flyin' unless yer wearin' that glove."

"Is she ok?" asks Donatello, rushing to be the medic.

"I am fine," says Akumi, doing her best to shake her fear away.

"You're bleeding," says Leo. "Let Donnie look at you. Are… Are you ok?"

"I have had much worse," says Akumi, almost smacking Donatello's hands away. "Where is your bathroom?"

"I'll show you!" offers Mikey.

"Thank you." Akumi starts to walk away but Leo catches her arm. She looks at him almost pleading. She feels stupid, more so now as they speak of worms in the computers and codes and all those other things. She just needs one moment of peace... A moment to shake off the uncontrollable need to suddenly run. "Please let me go…"

Almost reluctantly Leonardo lets her arm go and as she walks away he turns around to continue planning their assault. Mikey, now the one holding her arm, guides her to the bathroom. She awkwardly holds her nose while he gets a cloth and runs it under the water, wrings it out, then presses it to her nose.

"I know how you feel," he says in an almost whisper. "I don't get half of what they're saying about the computer stuff and Leo and Raph are usually the ones that run the battle plan. I just sit and wait instructions because half my ideas get shot down anyway. Don't feel like you're being left out…"

"I don't…" Akumi takes the cloth from his hands. "I guess just… How fast the plan is coming together it's…"

"Overbearing?" he asks before grinning. "My big word of the week!"

His small joke does the job and she smiles while going to the sink to rinse the rag out, her blood sliding down the drain. She sighs before dabbing at her nose again, turning to face him and speaks while keeping pressure on her nose.

"That sword belongs to Ch'rell…. Doesn't it?"

"Yeah, the Sword of Tengu."

"Its energy frightened me. It's familiar, like…" Her blue eyes turn sad as she looks to the floor. "I feel like he used a similar weapon on my people."

"Oh…" He puts a hand to her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Akumi."

"I feel… Useless."

"Don't worry," he says, switching the topic. "I've seen how you fight. You're far from useless."

Akumi smiles, and then places her free hand on his shoulder. "And you, Michelangelo, are a worthy warrior. You have a true heart, a heart of a champion and battle master. Any warlord would be happy to have you at his side."

"Daw!" Mikey snaps his fingers. "I like the sound of that! Michelangelo: the Battle Master! Has a nice ring to it."

"Mikey? Akumi? Can you come out to talk the plan over?" asks Donatello from the kitchen doorway.

"Ready?" asks Mikey, offering his hand.

Akumi smiles, checks the slightly cracked mirror for any bleeding, and quickly washes her hands before taking his.

"Ready."

**TBC**…

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Sprout- child, kid

Reehan- brother

**Note: For anyone who has seen 'Return to New York' in the 2k3 series, you'll get that "3 month old milk" joke, haha.**


	6. Chapter 6

Dis: I don't own TMNT

Note: This has been a great ride. Thanks for reading my first Leo/OFC fic! Well, it didn't get too romancey, just a little fluffy, yeah? Sequel WILL be coming… I'll be wrapping up DtRH and some other fics before working on the sequel to this though. Once again, thanks to all my readers, I hope you enjoyed this short story!

Note: I'm doing my best to follow the 'Return to New York' episodes but this update will have some scenes and parts cut out…

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So far the plan was working. Akumi stays beside Leo at all times from crawling in through a large pipe to breaking into the large command center. Breaking in was proving to be a lot less difficult than first thought. Their first snag was a locked door but Raphael rectifies that by smashing the door in and the onslaught of Foot Ninja had been a great warm up. She took her spot by Donatello, taking on the stragglers that got past the turtles and their master Splinter before they could stop him from doing whatever it was he was doing on that computer. He is grateful for her backup when a flying body comes in his direction, courtesy of Mikey who has kicked the Foot Ninja, and she intercepts the body with a kick of her own and sends the Foot back to where it came from. Mikey easily flips out of the way as the body slams into two other opponents.

"Thanks," says Donatello, fingers wildly traveling over the keyboard. "Watch where you're throwing out the trash, Mikey!"

"Sorry, Bro!" shouts Mikey.

Akumi uses fists and feet in this battle. Her dogi never even leave her belt. When Donatello is done with his programming, the Foot has been taken care of. They exit the room using an air duct. Akumi crawls right behind Leo, and exits the shaft easily to land on her feet. There are many electronics that she does not know the use of and while the boys admire the hardware she can't shake the feeling that they are being followed.

"I feel a presence," says Splinter and Akumi nods.

"As do I."

"But there's no one here other than us turtles, and uh, you guys," says Mikey.

"Foot Tech Ninjas!" shouts Don before an invisible fist punches him in the face.

Akumi did NOT like the Tech Ninjas. Leonardo made it looks so easy before but with the added noise of his brothers and the extra commotions he was having just as difficult of time battling them as everyone else. A sharp hit to her face has her flying into a shelf full of odds and ends, it collapsing on top of her. Red paint stains her clothes as does oil. Growling she stands, her dogi now in her clenched hands. She tries to do as Leonardo did before and use her ears and other senses but it is more difficult. She struggles and a sharp kick to her gut has her wincing as Raphael shoots his first laser beam shot into some Foot from the flying device he is now operating. They take advantage but the Tech Ninjas are smart. Akumi flips and dodges the best she can until Raphael loses control of the craft he is on and it smashes into the ceiling. Flames heat her skin and smoke threatens her lungs as the blaze threatens to consume the room just as Leonardo tosses up red canisters. Raphael throws his dogi at the canisters and a white cloud settles over them. The Ninjas are now easy to see and Donatello shocks him with his electric shuriken.

"Now where do we go?" asked Mikey.

"Up," says Leonardo and Akumi sighs while tucking her dogi into her belt. It's a high and long jump and she is certain she can make it but someone grabs her around the waist and makes the jump for her. Raphael.

"Thank you" she says. "I could have managed but it would have taken me longer."

"No problem," he answers with a pat on her head before walking away.

"Whoa, what is this place?" asks Leonardo and Akumi's eyes travel over eerie tanks filled with dark figures and glowing green liquid.

"It looks like a genetics lab," says Donatello just as an alarm goes off.

"I didn't do it!" shouts Mikey as the tanks open and the liquid drains. Three menacing figures varying in size as well as the number of their limbs slowly exit their tanks. "AHHHH Shredder clones!"

"They all looked to be genetically modified using Shredder's DNA!" shouts Donatello before tapping his ear piece. "April, can you get us out of here?"

Indeed. They all had metallic armor resembling that of Ch'rell as well as glowing red eyes. One was tiny, something to be easily dealt with you would think. Another is massive with four arms and the last had claws resembling one of the sea creatures on her home world that could snap a boat in two. Once again, weapons are drawn.

Leonardo and Raphael take on the little one, which Akumi almost finds amusing because one would think their strength could be used for a much larger problem. Michelangelo and Splinter take the one with the claws leaving her and Donatello with the massive creature. She and Donatello share a look before launching forward. It is strong, and it takes all the focus within her to avoid its meaty arms. Donatello is knocked aside and Akumi watches as he falls into the hole in the floor.

No!

Before she can help him, four arms encircle her and begin to squeeze. She shouts out. Her arms are banded to her sides and she cannot move them to use her dogi. She struggles but soon find breath is hard to come by and just as she feels she is about to pass out something hits the monster and she falls to the floor: coughing and gasping for air.

"Akumi!" Leonardo is there, hands on her shoulders as he kneels beside her. She looks up, blue eyes pained. "Are you ok?"

"I will be…" She sucks in more air as Splinter and Michelangelo rock one of the large tanks over to fall on the goliath that had been crushing her. "You?"

"They've been dealt with," said Leonardo, offering his hand and she took it and let him help her stand.

Donatello lost his communicator but it is rectified as April calls Mikey's phone instead. She leads them to the elevator that goes up but the problem is that the large hole in the floor blocks their path to the elevator. Luckily, Donatello came prepared and hooks a roped up on some low hanging pipes and swings across just as the three monsters rise from their unconscious state. Michelangelo and AKumi swing over together then it is Leo with Splinter as the monsters get closer. Raphael is fighting them off and Akumi reaches into Donatello's bag of tricks and pulls out the metal shuriken he had been a fan of earlier. Reading her mind he activates one as well and they toss them at the creatures and they screech in pain and fall as Raphael swings over with ease.

"TURTLES!"

"Well dat would be Hun," says Raphael with a smirk, coiling the rope and handing it to Don. "Too bad I can't say hi just yet."

"C'mon!" shouts Donatello as they hit the elevator button to go up. He then taps his comm. "April, where does this elevator go?"

"Straight to the top," she answers.

"This is it," says Leonardo.

"Let's kick some shell," adds Raphael.

Akumi sighs. This WAS it. This is the moment she has been waiting for. She WILL avenge her people. She WILL defeat Ch'rell so that no other race would feel the pain that hers had. The sword at her back starts to glow and vibrate the closer to the top they get and she inhales then exhales deeply before her eyes meet Leonardo's. She can sense his unease, he is restless, and she knows that she can use the connection to calm him. His brothers may tease her for it, but she wants… no… NEEDS to help him. She tucks her dogi into her belt then braces her hands onto his familiar feeling plastron.

"A-Akumi?" he asks, slightly startled.

"Be careful, Leonardo," she whispers softly. She tugs the covering on her lower face down before rising to her toes and pressing her lips to his, fingers closing around the top of his upper chest plates.

She reaches out with her mind and reluctantly he opens his mind up to her. She embraces him not just physically but mentally. She is aware of his arms encircling her and her hands reach up to cup his cheeks as he deepens the kiss. She feels her cheeks warm as her tongue slides past his parted lips and connects with his and that familiar spark travels through her body. The elevator stops and she pulls back, her bright eyes melding with his dark ones. Her hands fall and she shivers as a fingertip trails up the pointed edge of her ear.

THIS is different. He does not know that only lovers and mates on her home world are allowed such intimate caresses and her knees grow weak as he presses his lips back to hers in another kiss and this one… This one is sensual and has NOTHING to do with the connection and she sighs are her body instantly starts to react to his attentions…

A throat clears and they pull fully apart. A blush paints their cheeks and Leonardo looks over to see Raph and Mikey's jaws drop. Donnie looks perplexed and his Father looks… Uncomfortable.

"Hey!" says Mikey, the first to recover. "Where's MY kiss?"

Leonardo isn't aware of his body's actions until he feels the sting against his palm after smacking Mikey upside the head.

"Ow!"

"Way to go, Bro," says Raphael with a smirk as he is the first to exit the elevator. Donnie and a pouting Michelangelo follow.

"My Son… Keep your mind clear…"

"It is, Sensei… The connection helps ease my doubts and fears…" says Leonardo, truly feeling renewed.

"It is not your doubts or fears that worry me it is your, lets say… The natural train of thought any teenage boy has after a kiss like that!"

_'Just kill me now_,' thinks Leonardo as Splinter leaves and he and Akumi step off the elevator together just as the Foot Elite appeared out of nowhere. _'Great…'_

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Akumi has the sword in her hands while she, the turtles, and Splinter face off against Shredder. He is snide and laughs when he sees her. The monster of a man known as Hun as well as the Elite stand with him as he calls them all fools. His voice is poison and she wants to cut off his tongue. However, she is having an inner debate on her own. Where should she strike? Somewhere beneath all that armor was a tiny little slime monster that needed slaying. Before she can think of an appropriate attack plan the floor shakes and splits open and they all step back: Leonardo standing protectively in front of her, as another large machine with a human inside it comes into play.

"STOCKMAN!" shouts Shredder as the ground stops shaking. "DESTROY THE TURTLES."

The one known as Stockman laughs and says that he would destroy the turtles as well as Ch'rell. Akumi perks at this, hoping that Stockman would put his trouble with the turtles behind him to battle the Shredder. She is wrong… Stockman takes them all on. At first she sticks to the sidelines with the turtles as Stockman defeats Hun, the Elite, and even Shredder in no time at all. Raphael pulls her behind him as Stockman turns his attention to them.

"And now you. You've ruined my ingenious plants one too many times turtles! And…" He focuses on Akumi. "Well I have no idea who you are but you will share their fate!"

The battle commences and Akiumi feels that no matter what they do they cannot defeat him. She finds herself doing what she never thought possible and that is working WITH the Shredder to defeat the giant robot. Though it seems he is sticking to the shadows while they do most of the heavy lifting. Stockman's robot loses limbs, gets tossed back down the hole it came from, and still manages to come back just as strong. She grunts as a missile explodes near her feet and she is airborne for quite some time before her head connects with a beam. She moans, falling to her knees, staring up at the robot that wants her to meet her end.

"Die," growls Stockman as he opens fire on her and a body is suddenly on her, hugging her to his plastron as he rolls behind cover. She gasps as a bullet grazes her arm and winces as Michelangelo pulls her in tight against his chest.

"You okay?" he asks.

"He got me," she says through gritted teeth, panting because of the pain. "With his gun arm."

"Hang on." Mikey holds up her arm and winces before peeking around the corner. Raphael and Leo are battling Stockman now alongside Shredder, slicing more at his limbs. "Medic Don we need your assistance!"

Donatello easily flips over and within minutes Akumi's arm has a bandage on it. She stands shakily but feels ok just as Donatello perks up over something Stockman says. It is something about batteries and emergency power supplies in all of his parts and Donatello picks up one of the sliced off gun arms and fires it at Stockman, finally ending him.

With Stockman gone, the Shredder uses that as an opportunity to attack. Splinter is the first to go, a powerful kick sending him out the window and Akumi's heart leaps into her throat as Leonardo follows him with a rope in hand to save him. Angry, Akumi launches forward with Raphael and they leap into the air and kick the Shredder back. He stumbles and Mikey and Donatello fly in from behind them and kick him through the weak doors and to an outside area. They all rush outside and face off to him but the Shredder is swift and fast. Mikey gets kicked into a tree and Donatello into the outside pool. Raphael goes in high, managing to get a punch in before his leg is grabbed and he is tossed aside. Akumi tucks her dogi into her belt then takes out the taki: it glowing as she launches forward. Shredder growls as she attacks. Left, right, left, right, up, down, her blade sings until he blocks it with the blades on his arm. He kicks her in the stomach and she falters. He lashes out with a punch to her face and she goes down. She looks up to see him over her, ready to strike: until of blast of light launches him backward.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Leo. He is using the Sword of Tengu! Shredder sees this and falters. The sword scares him. He screams that he will NOT lose and goes to push a button of some sort and Akumi launches forward, unsheathing a dogi and throwing it to have it embed in the Shredder's wrist. He is a good actor, he pretends it hurts. What he doesn't know is that they all know his dirty little secret.

That he is not human. She screams as she brings the sword down and he barely dodges, gripping her by the throat and tossing her aside easily. She wants to scream in frustration but Leonardo is suddenly there again but the Shredder manages a lucky hit in and Leo loses the sword. Immediately, the Shredder grabs the sword.

"The Sword of Tengu. I had almost forgotten. The sword, of which I laid villages to waste, castles to ruin and vanquished armies with… the sword I used to concur Japan…." He turns to her, red eyes aglow as he points the sword in her direction. "The sword I used to tear your pitiful planet apart. Your people were easily defeated and now you will share their fate!"

"NO!"

Leonardo blocks the hit meant for her, and then Raphael is there, and blasts of blue energy is lighting up the sky. Foot Ninja that were late to the party come up to help their master and Akumi begins to wonder if all is lost when numerous figures fall from the sky wearing dark clothes and golden amulets.

"Perhaps we can offer you a little assistance," says the one acting as leader and Akumi looks closer. They look familiar but she doesn't know how. "We will take care of these men. You go after the Shredder and get the Sword of Tengu away from him."

Then they are gone, engaging the Foot Ninja and Akumi winces while standing to her feet in time to witness Shredder losing the sword to Leonardo's powerful attack. He screams his rage and attacks but Leonardo has the sword now and Akumi watches in amazement as he takes Shredder's head. The sword at her back continues to burn and while the body lies dormant and Leo sheathes the Sword of Tengu, she knows it is not over. Standing, she sprints forward, the gifted sword of the Gods above her head and she brings it down hard. A loud, pained scream fills her ears. It gurgles and squeals as the sword glows brighter and brighter. It is hot in her hand and she hears Leonardo screaming for her but she cannot lose focus. She grips the sword tighter and suddenly she is no longer on Earth. No longer in New York City.

She is home, with the smoldering body of the Shredder at her feet.

.

.

.

"Akumi? AKUMI!"

"Leo!" shouts Raphael, grabbing his brother's arm as the Police sirens sound. "We gotta go!"

"But… but…"

"I know, Bro," says Raphael softly. "But we gotta go."

Leonardo's angst does not end for where he left Splinter to battle Shredder was now empty save for his cane. His torment grows. First Akumi and now Splinter. This was his fault. He knew Shredder wasn't human, so why didn't he think to check the body before sheathing the sword? Akumi made the final blow and now, along with his Sensei, was gone.

"Leo! We gotta go!"

"The helicopter," he says emotionlessly, eyes trailing toward it. "Let's go."

After settling into the seats they are flying away, leaving the burning building behind them.

"We did it, Bro," said Raphael. "We beat the Shredder."

"Yeah," says Leo, eyes looking down at the city below him. "But at what cost?"

.

.

.

Akumi stands before her people and holds up the corpse of Ch'rell. Two days after returning home she is finally able to stand on her feet and standing now in a ceremonial white robe she felt like a goddess. In her hand is the dead enemy that the sword helped her slay and her people continued to cheer and shout their pleasure before she tossed the corpse into a large fire that had been lit at her feet. Surprising how a little slimeball like that could cause so much chaos. Slimeball… Hm… Must be a word she picked up from Leo.

"HOO WAHH OHH EH!" shouts the people of Luna and Akumi raises her fist into the air just as a bright light shines before her eyes and the spirit that blessed her with the sword is floating there with a pleased smile on his face.

"You defeated the Shredder," he says, ignoring the awed looks from her people.

"Yes! With your help, I thank you."

"One day I will call upon you again. Will you, Akumi, dedicate yourself to the light? Be the warrior of good?"

"Yes," she answers without hesitation. "I will."

"Good. Rest, child, for just because this snake has been slain does not mean another does not wait in the grass."

Akumi watches as he vanishes and she sighs, her sad eyes traveling over the faces of her people before she turns away. She is aware of her mother calling her name but she runs until there is no land left to run on. She faces the open water, the wind whipping at her face and making her hair fly behind her.

"Leonardo…" Her ears lower slightly. "Leonardo I miss you…"

.

.

.

"You ok?"

Leonardo looks up from the maps on Don's desk to his brother. Donatello looks just as haggard as he feels. Leo knows he's been up 24/7 to get the Battleshell up and going again. They were all going stir crazy. It's been days and there were still no signs of Splinter or Akumi.

"As I can be Don."

"We'll find them, Leo. BOTH of them."

"I hope so."

"Did…" Donatello picks up a gadget, tinkering with a piece of it, making it bend. "Did you really like her?"

"Yeah…" Leo looks down. "I did. But we have to focus. Akumi… She might be back home. I PRAY that she is back home, and that the sword took her there. Splinter is our number one priority."

Donatello nods before turning away and Leo's eyes close as his fists ball on the table.

_"I'll find you master… And Akumi? Thank you for helping us… I… I wish you were here but… I have a feeling that we WILL see each other again…"_

**END**


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